A New Child and Adolescent Health and Wellbeing Strategy in the WHO European Region - a co-creation exercise

2 September 2024, 10:00–11:30 (CEST)

Leaving no child behind across the Region requires a renewed commitment, focus and drive. The children and adolescents of today shape future societal outcomes, and the challenges they face, including increased mental health risks, disruption to their education, economic uncertainty and, in some countries, increasing levels of poverty, inequity and conflict, require further concerted action. The health services children and adolescents receive, from health promotion and prevention to disease management, do not always meet their needs and the quality levels of these health services are sometimes less then optimal.

Children and adolescents often do not have a voice when the health and well-being strategies that will affect them are being defined. WHO plays a pivotal role in leading the narrative and supporting Member States in improving the health and well-being of children and adolescents in order to meet the health-related SDGs by 2030. Member States and stakeholders believe that renewing the child and adolescent health and well-being strategy at the regional level will enable national child and adolescent health and well-being strategies, action plans and monitoring frameworks to be developed across the Region. This will help children and adolescents in the Region to realize their rights to physical, social and mental health and well-being in healthy and enabling environments so that they can fully participate in shaping prosperous and sustainable societies.

This session will provide an opportunity to consult with the Member States in the Region on the development of a new child and adolescent health and well-being strategy for the WHO European Region.